An alloy has been recovered in an ancient shipwreck which sank off in Sicily 2,600 years ago. There were 47 ingots of orichalcum found in the ship and believed it belongs to Ancient Atlantis.
The shipwreck was discovered from Gela's coast with the depth of 1,000 feet. The newly found ingots were added to 39 orichalcum lumps recovered in the same shipwreck back in 2015. There has never been discovered an alloy before with such quantity; described as brass-like and made up of copper, charcoal, and reaction of zinc ore. Its compositions revealed with the use of X-ray fluorescence.
There were also two Corinthian helmets found and believed it was part of the defense against the pirates. Others also believed that they were meant to offer to gods.
In Plato's Critias dialogue, it was said that orichalcum was used to cover the temple's interior, columns, floor, and wall that belongs to Poseidon, and only gold surpassed its preciousness.
However, most of the scholars today believed that even though orichalcum was rare, they were far from being precious like Plato suggested in his writing. It was made through cementation; reaction process achieved by zinc ore, charcoal, and copper in a high heated temperature.
Meanwhile, according to Sebastiano Tusa, who served as superintendent in the sea of Sicily and an archeologist; the ship was dated at the end of the sixth century B.C., and it may be caught due to sudden storm and sank before entering the port.
In addition, Adriana Fresina, one of the members of Tusa's team noted that the seas that surround the Sicily are said to have at least another two shipwreck.